A conversation with the judge: Irina Maknami
https://www.traditionrolex.com/42
https://www.traditionrolex.com/42
It happens that riders consider that judges treat them too severely and even heartlessly. In fact, the process of judging is extremely emotional and complex. The international judge Irina Maknami in her interview for Horsetimes told us how rankings are placed in the equestrianism and what exams judges pass.
horsetimes: Irina, thank you for agreeing to give us the interview. Please tell us how has the judging system changed in the last 30 years?
Irina Maknami: The scale of training levels of sport horses has always been the base for judging. Due to the fact that the quality of allures of sport horses and a dressage level as a whole have significantly changed, the requirements for judges have increased drastically.
For many years, the International Equestrian Federation has led the fight for the welfare of horses. And today a judge pays a lot of attention to how “happy” a horse looks. It is very important that a horse does not appear constrained, jammed and tense. Its movement should be flexible, elastic, with conductivity and impulse to give a feeling that the horse carries itself on its own.
A lot of low rankings are now received for basic mistakes: rough hand and overuse of the spurs. They show that a horse was not prepared in accordance with the scale of the training levels.
horsetimes: Judging is not standing still.
Irina Maknami: This is the case. The judging system is developing, as well as dressage. Every year, nuances are added to the rules for judges. To keep pace with the times, judges must engage in self-education, attend seminars, adopt experience of reputable colleagues.
As for the technical part, the most outstanding and successful innovations, in my opinion, were: adding partial marks, increasing a number of judges up to 7 at major competitions, creating the GSP (Supervisory Committee).
horsetimes: Is it possible to say that the European judges are too strict to our athletes during international events?
Irina Maknami: No, this is not true. For international judges, a Russian athlete is no different than a British, French, Spanish, Finnish or Canadian. The question may be put differently: why, when riders perform at less significant tournaments in countries which are not currently among the leaders in the world dressage, it is often the case of higher percentage than at the European Championships or at major tournaments in countries with the high-level dressage?
My personal opinion is that at “simpler” tournaments there are a lot of low-level performances. They need to be ranked and placed somehow. For most judges, it is painful to give a brutal ranking. That is why those who ride very bad usually get rated slightly higher than merited, and, as a consequence, the results of other riders would also move a bit higher. Accordingly, those who ride to win have to be singled out to keep an adequate gap between the percents of the best and the worst.
horsetimes: How to succeed at international competitions?
Irina Maknami: According to my observations, in order to receive high marks at the major international competitions, you must: 1. Ride well in today’s trendy style (liberated, flexible with a light touch, etc.); have a wonderful seating; don't do glitches. 2. Live and train in Europe, or go there every year for a long period of time for participation in competitions. 3. Perform at major tournaments and demonstrate consistent results; always be in sight and on hearing of international judges. 4. Plan schedule of performances correctly; to do this, a rider must either have a well-known experienced trainer or a visiting high-profile trainer who rubs shoulders in the thick of things and can represent the interests of his/her riders in the dressage community.
Rules of the game are the same for all. If our riders meet the above criteria, the results are simply bound to appear. Just remember our wonderful Balagur. Alexandra Korelova and this horse proved that the impossible could be possible. They made their way to the top of the world dressage. All judges were giving very high marks to Balagur. He often received tens. His piaffe is still shown as the standard of perfect execution of this element at international judging seminars.
horsetimes: What skills our athletes are missing to perform successfully?
Irina Maknami: The range of problems is extremely diverse. Here are some examples: lack of self-confidence, lack of a competent trainer, inability to leave a job or family to go compete in Europe, veterinary problems for horses, etc. Of course, one of the main problems for almost all riders is the lack of financing.
horsetimes: What are the key difficulties in deciding on marks?
Irina Maknami: Judging - it is a very complex process. There are no two identical rides (even for the same horse). Every time judges are faced with unexpected moments. One must be able to make judgements quickly. Quite often there is a big difference of opinions between judges when very spectacular horses, able to get 7.5 and higher during a successful execution of an element, make failures.
horsetimes: Is it possible that there are internal disagreements during scoring?
Irina Maknami: High-quality judging requires extreme concentration. In the process of work, a judge’s brain has to process such a wide range of aspects of a rider’s performance within seconds and form an overall assessment. This process is almost subconscious, but “informed subconscious”, of course. There is no time to suffer from internal disagreements.
However, after a competition, if the result did not coincide with the one of other judges, there comes a time of anxiety and internal contradictions. In most cases, you feel that you were right and had good reasons for making such an assessment, but sometimes you realize that you made a mistake. The latter is rather painful, especially if a rider was “hurt” as a consequence. Many athletes think that judges simply don’t care. This is not the case.
horsetimes: What the stars mean in judges’ categories?
Irina Maknami: The stars divide international judges into groups 2 *, 3 *, 4 *, 5 *. They show the status of a judge, his/her experience, as well as the level of competitions that he/she is allowed to judge.
Competitions of different levels have strictly set rules clearly specifying how many judges work at a competition and what “star rating” is required of judges. In short, the more stars, the better. The highest level in judging is 5 *. Such judges have enormous authority, judge at the world and European championships, Olympic Games; conduct training seminars for other judges, take exams, and influence the process of amending the rules.
horsetimes: What special examinations do judges undergo to work at competitions of different levels?
Irina Maknami: Judges must take exams if they want to move from one star level to another. For example, if a national judge wants to become international or an international judge wants to be able to judge young horses, and if there is a loss in status due to failing to meet necessary criteria (number of judged events).
The Educational System for FEI Dressage Judges document clearly describes this process. An exam always takes place as a part of a seminar for international judges. It is held by two teachers-examiners from among the 5 * level judges. The exam takes three days and is held in English. It consists of a written part testing the knowledge of the rules and basic criteria for the elements; comments to the microphone (it is necessary to assess a rider out loud and give comments); shadow Grand Prix judging; and an interview.
Exams are rather difficult, not everyone can pass them successfully.
horsetimes: Why the equestrian sport is not as popular in Russia as, say, rhythmic gymnastics?
Irina Maknami: There are a lot of reasons. In my opinion, the main ones are: first, equestrian sports are interesting only to those people who are generally interested in horses. If a person is indifferent to these animals, then it may be possible to force them to watch the show jumping but hardly possible to watch dressage. Second, to love and understand the extraordinary complexity and beauty of equestrian sports, you have to understand it and in our country, the lack of information is a true disaster. Third, this sport can never become a mass one due to its high cost and difficulties involved in keeping horses. It seems to me that the development of mass sports contributes to the growth of popularity of the sports in general. And, of course, to attract attention to equestrian sports we need star riders and champions, the idols for people to become their fans and support them at major international competitions.
I think, equestrian sports in Russia are unlikely to enjoy the same popularity as rhythmic gymnastics, hockey or soccer, but it is a very real possibility to make it much more popular than it is now. It is in our hands.
horsetimes: Is there enough information about equestrian sports in Russia?
Irina Maknami: This question is very relevant. Information is sorely lacking. Compared with the amount of books, videos, websites, etc., that are available, for example, in Germany, our enormous country is deprived of this information. There are a few interesting websites but it is not enough on the national scale.
It is very nice of you to organize such an interesting and informative website like horsetimes.ru. Video webcasting of events is incredibly cool! I wish you to grow and develop, and I will be happy to help as much as I can. I can imagine how hard it is but please don't give up! We need you!
Biography
Irina Maknami. International dressage judge, level 4 *. Since 2008, member of the IDOS, member of the Russian FKSR Board of Judges.
Regularly judges international dressage competitions in Russia and abroad (Spain, France, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Belarus, Portugal, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Canada) including two tournaments of level 4 * in Austria (Treffen) and Germany (Perl). Since the beginning of 2013, has judged 19 GP rides. Invited to judge at the famous CDI4 * tournament - Vienna Masters - in Vienna which is held in the heart of Vienna at the square in front of the Town Hall.
Author: Edition
https://www.traditionrolex.com/42
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